This is going to be one of those reviews where I won't be able to do the book any justice. This is one the books listed in my deck of cards, 52 Great Books to Read, so I figured it would be good. It was, in fact, amazing, and that's not saying much. It follows the life of Macon "Milkman" Dead III, an African-American living in Michigan. His nickname, Milkman, is given to him after neighbors discover that his mother has breastfed him way past the appropriate age. His grandfather was erroneously registered as Macon Dead after he was released from slavery. His father has overcome a difficult childhood to establish himself as one of the most prosperous people in his town. His mother has shut down emotionally due to her abusive and unloving marriage. His sisters have allowed life to pass them by. His aunt saved his life while he was still in the womb. His cousin has fallen dangerously in love with him. His best friend Guitar wants to kill him. The novel explores the lives of all these characters, weaving in and out of their stories, of the past, the present.
It's one of those books that is probably assigned in English class. The discussion will most certainly include racism, the quest for identity, the plight of women who are left behind to assume responsibilities after men pursue their own freedom, the significance and relevance of Biblical names and allusions, the search for one's ancestry and its effect on the present, the effects of greed and unrequited love, the nurturing female, and not to mention symbolism (singing, flying, names).
It's been compared to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude," because of its fluidity of prose, its focus on the impact of ancestors on subsequent generations and the character traits that resurface over and over, and some use of magical realism (talking to ghosts, a woman born without a navel, people flying). The prose is certainly impressive and it became my favorite thing about the book, because I would pick it up and be immersed immediately and not want to put it down. It is a beautifully written, captivating story. It has a leisurely pace for the first 3/4 or so, where Morrison weaves between the stories of the different characters. The last quarter of the book is absolutely gripping and even grander than everything that preceded it.
There may have to be another Morrison book for me in the future.
16 books done, 36 to go.
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